Means for distributing discrete material in ships&#39; holds and the like



March 26, 1957 W L. KUTTNER ETAL MEANS FOR DESTRIBUTING DISCRETEMATERIAL IN SHIPS HOLDS AND THE LIKE Filed NOV. 8, 1954 2 Shets-Sheet lMarch 26, 1957 w. L. KUTTNER ETAL 2,786,720

MEANS FOR DISTRIBUTING D SCRETE MATERIAL IN SHIPS HOLDS AND THE LIKEFiled Nov. 8, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY i tes 'MEANS FORDISTRIBUTENG DISCRETE MATE- RIAL IN SHIPS HQLDS AND THE LIKE WarnerLennard Kuttner, George Collins, Thomas Arnold Thomson, and VincentJoseph Smith, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia This invention relatesto improvements in means for distributing discrete material such aspowdered, crystalline or granular materials, including seed, grain,fertilisers or insecticides in ships holds and like confined spaceswithout the need for mechanical trimming means such as power or manuallyoperated scoops.

The problem of distributing powdered, crystalline or granular materialsand the like inside ships holds during loading operations is to-day ofconsiderable importance. In order to avoid dust nuisance, thesematerials are usually conveyed into the ship holds through a restrictedopening above the holds in the hatch covers, thus resulting in thepiling up of materials in the centre of the hold. As the simpleexpedient of moving the said opening is cumbersome and difiicult, andsometimes impossible, drag scoops have been used for trimming in thepast, these scoops being guided by ropes pulleys inside the hold andassisted by a large number of men working barefooted under mostuncomfortable circumstances.

An object of the present invention is to provide means directed toovercome the above disadvantages and to this end it is proposed toassist the above form of distribution by means of a powerful jet of airfrom a nozzle directed and controlled in such manner that the flow ofair under pressure through the said nozzle is not restricted byslipstream rotation behind an axial rotor, nor by slip-stream rotationor velocity asymmetries behind a radial flow fan, such control beingetfected by the use of fans from which said rotation or velocityasymmetries are removed by aerodynamic straighteners or tunnels.

According to the present invention the apparatus issupported by guysfrom a ships derrick, or the ships beams 01' from a circular irameallowing rotation in a horizontal plane for example, and comprises anadjustable range flap, and a steering rudder, control means for therudder, which may be manual or automatic to give the unit rotation aboutits vertical axis or alternatively an oscillationabout the said axis.

A fan assembly is disposed in a tunnel and directs high .velocity airpast the steering rudder to the range flap; an anchor rod may extenddownwardly from the said unit and has a suitable anchor carried at thelower end thereof :for placement in the material being stowed in thesaid hold,

.ltwill be appreciated-that owing to the large gyroscopic couples, itisnecessary for ease of handling, by one operator, to'provide some sortof aerodynamic controls, and :to this end the said rudder is situatedthe nozzle and is operated either manually or mechanically to providethe necessary oscillations or rotation of the unit about its verticalaxis, the mechanical linkage to the said rudder being such as to provideperiodic oscillations or steady revolu iou o th unit- Relatively largefans are required to deflect the material, being distributed, during itsfree fall from the feed openings in a vertical direction, to atrajectory with a horizontal range of sufficient length to enable thefilling of remote corners in the ships holds. However, most atent2,786,720 Patented {Man :26, 1957 m te a r spo ab e more readily-when inan fi gized boundary layer. For reason the ,said range flap which isadjustable in elevation .to give a variety of throws, as well astransportation to the material, has been added. By using a flap shapedin the hinge region a satisfactory seal against back fioyv may bearranged for all flap deflections. Alternatively, the hinge could beformed by a piece of .sheetrubber running the full width of the flap;however the overlap at the :sides is required in any case.

The said anchor with its foot submerged in the said material could beused to take care of thrust.

in order that the invention may be more readily understood, referencewill now be made "to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevational view illustrating h p esent invention.

Figure 2 is a view looking in the direction from right to left in Figure1.

Figure 3 is an elevational view of the invention wherein radial flowfans are used.

Figure 4 is a plan view corresponding to Figure 3 showing the two fans.

The air tunnel it) has a bell mouth 11 and receives therein the fanassembly for producing an air stream at high velocity, the said tunnelbeing suspended by guys 12 from a ships derrick, for example, (notshown) or from an overhead support 13 shown diagrammatically in Figure2.

The said air tunnel 10 has a telescopic anchor rod 14 to the lower endof which an anchor 15 is mounted for placement in the material alreadydistributed to enable the said air tunnel l0 and the respective partscarried thereby to be turned as upon a vertical axis at will; in a icehorizontal plane to distribute the material, the said telescopic anchorrod 14- is mounted upon a bracket 16 carried by the forward end of theair tunnel it].

The tunnel it has a cylindrical portion 17 extending from the bell mouth13 and terminates in a fiat frustoconical portion 18 from which the highvelocity air is discharged upon the material to be distributed as itfalls upon a range flap is after passing between a guide plate assembly20 having plates 21spaced in angular relationship by spacing members 22.

The said fan assembly comprises an electric-motor 23 and fan rotor 24which are carried by a transition piece 25 which together withthe saidflat frustro-conical .portion 18 of the tunnel to directs the highvelocity air-to the nozzle end 26 of the said tunnel 10; there aredisposed in the air passage between the frustro-conical portion .18 ofthe tunnel 1t and the transition piece 25 adjustable rudders 27 which,as illustrated in Figure Lmay'be turned on their axis by a manuallyoperated handle '28; when placed at an angle to the air stream the saidrudders 27 cause the apparatus to turn about the anchor 15 andconsequently change the direction of the spreading of the material,being discharged by the apparatus, in a horizontal plane.

The said guide plate assembly'lfl is supported by slotted arms 29carried by the said tunnel 1'0 and which have adjustable connectionrespectively with the rear plate 21 by means of clamping pins 30 toensure that the said rear guide plate 21 may be placed. :at ananglegreater than the angle of repose of the material being handled; thesaid rear guide plate 21 may also be provided with an adjustable reardeflector plate 3110 induce air flow, if required around the nozzle end26 of the air tunnel 10.

The rearguide plate is related to front guide plate in such a manner asto prevent the. material falling uninterrup ed y upon the said r ngflap? The said rang p :19 .has side. members .32 and is 3 mounted uponbrackets 33 by pivots 34, said brackets 33 extending from the saidtunnel said range flap 19 is adjustable upon its pivots 34 with respectto the brackets 33bymeans such as chains 9.

The passage of air through the tunnel 10 is shown by arrows moving in ahorizontal direction through the tunnel 10 as seen in Figure 1; thepassage of the material as it falls vertically between the guide plates21 is shown by the arrows in the guide plate assembly the path of thematerial to be distributed upon reaching the range flaps 19 is shown bythe arrows seen in Figure l passing across the said range flap 19;induced air is shown entering the high pressure air stream by the arrowsseen in Figure 1 around the nozzle end 26 of the air tunnel 10.

In the form of the invention seen in Figures 3 and 4 the principle ofoperation is the same as that described with reference to Figures 1 and2 with the exception that the tunnel 10 has disposed therein two radialflow fans 35 fed by bell mouth intake pipes 36.

We claim:

1. Improvements relating to the distribution of discrete material inships holds and the like and wherein the discrete material falls intothe path of a current of air moving at high velocity and is directed bysaid current of air towards a range flap, having side members andmounted upon brackets by means of posts, said brackets extending from anair tunnel, said range flap being adjustable upon a pivot with respectto the said brackets, a fan assembly comprising an electric motor and afan rotor mounted in said tunnel for developing said high velocitycurrent of air, suspending or supporting means for said air tunnel atransition piece mounted within said tunnel and supporting said fanassembly, a guide plate assembly for directing said discrete materialtowards said current of air as it leaves said tunnel, said guide plateassembly including guide plates for preventing the material fallingdirectly upon the said range flap, the latter being adjustable inelevation to give a variety of throws of said material.

2. Improvements relating to the distribution of discrete material inships holds and the like and wherein the discrete material falls intothe path of a current of air moving at high velocity and is directed bysaid current of air towards a range flap, having side members andmounted upon brackets by means of posts, said brackets extending from anair tunnel, said range flap being adjustable upon a pivot with respectto the said brackets, a fan assembly comprising an electric motor and afan rotor mounted in said tunnel for developing said high velocitycurrent of air, suspending or supporting means for said air tunnel, atransition piece mounted within said tunnel and supporting said fanassembly, said air tunnel having a telescopic anchor rod, an anchormounted upon the lower end thereof for placement in said materialalready distributed, whereby said air tunnel and the parts carriedthereby may be turned upon a vertical axis in a horizontal plane todistribute the material at will, a guide plate assembly for directingsaid discrete material towards said current of air as it leaves saidtunnel, said guide plate assembly including guide plates for preventingthe material falling directly upon the said range flap, the latter beingadjustable in elevation to give a variety of throws of said material.

3. Improvements relating to the distribution of discrete material inships holds and the like and wherein the discrete'material falls intothe path of a current of air moving at high velocity and is directed bysaid current of air towards a range flap, having side members andmounted upon brackets by means of posts, said brackets extending from anair tunnel, said range fiap being adjustable upon a pivot with respectto the said brackets, a fan assembly containing an electric motor and afan rotor mounted in saidv tunnel for developing said high velocitycurrent of air, suspending or supporting means for said air tunnel and atransition piece mounted within said tunnel and supporting said fanassembly, a guide plate assembly for directing said discrete materialtowards said current of air as it leaves said tunnel, said guide plateassembly including guide plates for preventing the material fallingdirectly upon the said range flap, the latter being adjustable inelevation to give a variety of throws of said material, said tunnelhaving a cylindrical portion terminating in a fiat frustro-conicalportion, a nozzle formed upon the end of said frustro-conical portionfrom which said high pressure air is discharged upon the material to bedistributed as it falls upon said range flap after passing through saidguide plate assembly.

4. Improvements relating to the distribution of dis crete material inships holds and the like and wherein the discrete material falls intothe path of a current of air moving at high velocity and is directed bysaid current of air towards a range fiap, having side members andmounted upon brackets by means of posts, said brackets extending from anair tunnel, said range flap being adjustable upon a pivot with respectto the said brackets, a fan assembly containing an electric motor and afan rotor mounted in said tunnel for developing said high velocitycurrent of air, suspending or supporting means for said air tunnel and atransition piece mounted Within said tunnel and supporting said fanassembly, a guide plate assembly for directing said discrete materialtowards said current of air as it leaves said tunnel, said guide plateassembly including guide plates for preventing the material fallingdirectly upon the said range flap, the latter being adjustable inelevation to give a variety of throws of said material, said tunnelhaving a cylindrical portion terminating in a flap frustro-conicalportion, a nozzle formed upon the end of said frustro-conical portionfrom which said high pressure air is discharged upon the material to bedistributed as it falls upon said range flap after passing through saidguide plate assembly, adjustable rudders disposed in an air passagebetween said transition piece and said frustro-conical portion of saidtunnel, said rudders serving to cause the apparatus to turn about ananchor whereby the direction of distribution or spreading may be variedin a horizontal plane as it is being discharged by the apparatus.

5. Improvements relating to the distribution of discrete material inships holds and the like and wherein the discrete material falls intothe path of a current of air moving at high velocity and is directed bysaid current of air towards a range flap, having side members andmounted upon brackets by means of posts, said brackets extending from anair tunnel, said range flap being adjustable upon a pivot with respectto the said brackets, a fan assembly comprising an electric motor and afan rotor mounted in said tunnel for developing said high velocitycurrent of air, suspending or supporting means for said air tunnel atransition piece mounted within said tunnel and supporting said fanassembly, a guide plate assembly for directing said discrete materialtowards said current of air as it leaves said tunnel, said guide plateassembly including guide plates for preventing the material fallingdirectly upon the said range flap, the latter being adjustable inelevation to give a variety of throws of said material, said guide plateassembly being adjustably supported by slotted arms carried by saidtunnel whereby a rear guide plate of the said guide plate assembly maybe placed at an angle greater than the angle of repose of the saidmaterial.

6. Improvements relating to the distribution of discrete material inships holds and the like and wherein the discrete material falls intothe path of a current of air moving at high velocity and is directed bysaid current of air towards a range flap, having side members andmounted upon brackets by means of posts, said brackets extending from anair tunnel, said range flap being adjustable upon a pivot with respectto the said brackets, a fan assembly comprising an electric motor and afan rotor mounted in said tunnel for developing said high velocitycurrent of air, suspending or supporting means for said air tunnel atransition piece mounted within said tunnel and supporting said fanassembly, a guide plate assembly for directing said discrete materialtowards said current of air as it leaves said tunnel, said guide plateassembly including guide plates for preventing the material fallingdirectly upon the said range flap, the latter being adjustable inelevation to give a variety of throws of said material, said range flapbeing mounted 6 upon brackets carried by said air tunnel and having sidemembers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,654,719 Clapp Jan. 3, 1928 1,866,806 Holly July 12, 1932 FOREIGNPATENTS 140,828 Australia Apr. 16, 1951

